Fun musings, Rick! Another option to consider in the mix of reasons for less BS for you this summer is the notion that rain actually washes the BS spores off the leaves so there's less chance for the disease to take hold. Even in relatively humid weather, regular spraying and/or rain seems to have a positive impact on BS - the real kicker is humid heavy weather WITHOUT the rain to wash off the spores. Nightmare city, eh? Your observations about the health of your plants providing extra vigor has to be a factor in BS being less of an issue, even if plants don't have an immune system per se. Still, if you have a healthy 4' bush putting out new leaves constantly, you don't really notice the 40 of those leaves that are blackspotted, whereas if you have a 2' one-cane runt, those 40 leaves would leave it bare-nekkid. Quick recovery from a disease is almost as good as not having the disease at all, at least as far as roses go. Cynthia

gldno1 - unfortunately the tree peony blooms seem to be short lived like herbaceous peonies. This is my first tree peony, though, so I am certainly not an authority on the subject. I am looking forward to seeing the branch structure of the plant develop and to see what it looks like over the winter. trailrunner - thanks!

Last night it went down to 49F at my house ! And the 'in ground' tomatoes are still all green! Can you spell panic? In a fit of web research, I found two references to cutting a trench around the base of the plants to shock the roots, causing the plant to do everything it could to ripen tomatoes. Two plants will be getting that treatment later today unless something or someone pries that trowel from my determined hands. Yesterday while driving DW to various garage sales, I met a fellow with small tomato plants but lots of ripe fruit. His plants were about one foot from his stucco walled house, nice and warm at night and shielded from the crazy winds. 400 feet lower in elevaton. Got only "Afternoon Sun", but thats ok here. They were wilted from lack of water, but he said "That happens", where as I do all I can to fight any wilt. He only used 5 year old all purpose Miracle Grow, nothing else. Fertilized twice all season. (maybe tonite about 11pm I will sneak over there and poach a few to see how they taste..... not really-but tempting) Frustration. I raised these seedlings in a greenhouse, have 10 different types of ferilizer, 30 containers, and sooo much research, But it seems nothing subsitutes for keeping that night time temperature as warm as posssible here in the Rockies.

I really should get First Blush! Interesting how the purple spreads into the leaf tips...Is it keeping the colour all season long or plain green in summer like Purple Haze?